Darion Mograine
Darion Mograine is the Highlord of the Knights of the Ebon Blade, a renegade order of death knights sent by the Lich King to the region east of Tyr's Hand. He is the son of Alexandros Mograine and a former knight of the Argent Dawn. He came into possession of Corrupted Ashbringer after killing his father in Naxxramas as part of a failed rescue plan carried out by some members of the Argent Dawn and used it to kill himself and free his father's soul. He became a death knight of the Scourge. He has a pronounced role in the death knight starting area. It is unknown if he is the same son previously believed to be in Outland (per the Scarlet Monastery event with Corrupted Ashbringer). It is likely, however, as he did release his father's soul from the Corrupted Ashbringer. He is involved in the following quests in and around the Ebon Hold: # # # # # # # # # # # / Biography with the Corrupted Ashbringer on his back in Acherus:The Ebon Hold.]] On the day of Darion's birth, he was stillborn. Alexandros, in a hurry, rushed the baby to a nearby stream, and from the freezing water, Darion Mograine entered the world. However, the joy his father felt quickly turned to grief as his wife and mother of his children, Elena, died due to complications from the birth. In a battle within the plagued city of Stratholme, in which young Darion insisted on fighting, he took a serious wound and fell unconscious for a day. Upon awakening, the boy described his experience as being surrounded by darkness, before being shown a light that he followed back to life. Death is Contagious Following the death of his father, Darion began to question the Light before being confronted by the troll priest, Zabra Hexx. After being counseled by the troll to search out his father in a fortress floating above a burning city, Darion joined the newly formed Order of the Argent Dawn. With a handful of Argent Dawn volunteers and a mysterious mage known as Castillian, Darion infiltrated the fortress of Naxxramas. After besting the lords of the Necropolis and losing his entire party to the Four Horsemen, the Corrupted Ashbringer came into Darion's possession. The sword's voice led him to the Scarlet Monastery where, unaware of the actual treachery of his brother, Renault Mograine, Darion was attacked by Renault who considered him to be the last link from his past, coming to torture him. The spirit of Alexandros Mograine appeared from the Ashbringer, beheading his traitor son and forgiving him afterward. Realizing that his father's soul was trapped within the Ashbringer, Darion stole a steed from the Scarlet Crusade and ran away. Fairbanks then visited him in a dream, telling him to go and find Tirion Fordring. Darion followed the ghost's orders and eventually found Tirion, telling him what happened to his father, though only after arguing with the pariah. Afterward, Tirion told him of how he was banished. He told Darion that nothing could be done for Alexandros. When mounting his stead, Tirion told him that only an act of love greater than the act of evil could free his father's soul. Darion then invited him to join the Argent Dawn and despite Tirion's outright refusal, left the option open by asking him to "Be a Hero". After his meeting with Tirion, Darion ventured to Light's Hope Chapel where he came across a Scourge army waiting to attack. Maxwell Tyrosus, overjoyed at his return, told him about the one thousand souls of the champions that died defending Capital City from Arthas and the Scourge and were later carried beneath the chapel. Darion took his place in the lines of The Order of the Argent Dawn in defense of the fallen. During the night he experienced a terrible vision about a world without the Light, a world where the Scourge were triumphant. In the morning, a call to arms was made to the soldiers as the First Battle for Lights Hope began. As the tide began to turn against the Argent Dawn, Tirion arrived riding Mirador and managed to save a woman from an abomination as he joined the fray. As it seemed as though the Light-blessed soldiers of the Argent Dawn might prevail, Kel'Thuzad himself joined the battle. Understanding that the Lich King's right hand had appeared, Darion charged forward, wielding the Corrupted Ashbringer as his father had long ago, and fought his way to Kel'Thuzad himself. The lich showed no fear and said that even the Ashbringer was not powerful enough to stop him. At that very same moment Darion realized what Tirion's words meant. Darion, as an act of love not only for his father but also for the cause they believed in, plunged Ashbringer through his heart with the words "I love you, Dad." In response to his noble action, the souls of a thousand vengeful knights erupted in pillars of light that purged the hills around the chapel of all traces of the Scourge. All that remained were the figures of Kel'Thuzad and the undead figure of Darion Mograine, the Corrupted Ashbringer still pierced through his chest. As Kel'Thuzad stood triumphant, he commented on how he was willing to sacrifice his own forces if it meant claiming the last Mograine's soul. In an eerily similar fashion, he asked Darion, "Who do you love?" Now lifeless in the service of the same force he swore to eliminate, the newly risen death knight answered back, "no one." in Patch 3.3.0 (PTR)]] Some time later Darion was made Highlord of the Ebon Blade, an order of Death Knights with the sole purpose of annihilating the remaining living in the Eastern Plaguelands. He also planned and formulated not only the forces in the Eastern Kingdoms, but also the strategy of the forces of Northrend and the would-be assault on Kalimdor. He gave command to all newly created Death Knights under his authority, orders to aid in the taking of the Eastern Plaguelands in the name of the Lich King from the fortress that is Ebon Hold. After the crushing of the Scarlet Crusade, the Knights of the Ebon Blade began preparation for their final assault on Light's Hope Chapel. Highlord Mograine assembled his most worthy and strongest Death Knights to begin the Second Battle for Lights Hope. There he learned that the Ashbringer would refuse to strike down any foe, and refused to obey his commands. One of his three generals then fled, as he was forced to face the tremendous power of Lights Hope Chapel's consecrated ground. As Tirion arrived, Highlord Mograine admitted defeat to the superior forces of the combined Silver Hand and Argent Dawn. At that moment, his master, the former Prince of Lorderon, the Lich King, Arthas appeared. After a confession of guilt from the Lich King, who had admitted he sent the Ebon Blade to its doom just to bring Tirion Fordring out of hiding, Highlord Mograine attempted to attack his master, only to be sent flying. As the Lich King was about to end the Death Knight's life, Darion threw the Corrupted Ashbringer to Tirion who in turn was able to purify it and push the Lich King back with the combined forces of the redeemed blade and the sacred ground. In response to the Lich King's betrayal, Darion now leads the Ebon Blade in a campaign to wipe out the forces loyal to the Lich King from Ebon Hold and establish it as a neutral haven for all Death Knights to call home. Abilities *'Unholy Blight' (A vile swarm of unholy insect surrounds the caster for a 10 yard radius. All enemies caught in the swarm take $s1 damage per sec and are plagued with a disease that can stack up to 3 times. Persists for 1 sec per 10 runic power. Generating runic power during the effect can prolong it.); *'The Light of Dawn' (And there would be a dawning before the darkest hower...); *'The Might of Mograine' (Empowered by the might of Highlord Darion Mograine. Your damage, health and health regeneration are greatly increased. You are an unstoppable force of darkness!); Quotes Member of the Scourge ]] ]] Greetings: * "We exist only to serve him." * "Ours is not to question, only to act." * "His eyes are upon you, at all times!" * "The life we had before is meaningless." * "Obey, or be eliminated." Farewell: * "It will be done." * "By his command." * "The might of the Scourge will not be challenged!" * "Go forth and wreak havoc!" * "We will scour the living from this world." Member of the Knights of the Ebon Blade Greetings: * "We are driven by a single purpose: retribution." * "For us there is no peace, no rest." * "All is not lost, not yet." * "Harness your hate; make it useful." * "We know much about sacrifice." Irritated: * "Dismissed." * "One more nuisance I must deal with." * "We Mograines aren't known for our restraint." * "Patience is a virtue; one I no longer possess." * "You are expendable." Farewell: * "The Knights of the Ebon Blade will not falter." * "We will see it through, to the bitter end." * "We must forge our own destiny." * "A shadow of hope remains." * "We are eternal. We are unyielding." At Battle for Light's Hope Chapel Before the fight: * "Soldiers of the Scourge, stand ready! Prepare to unleash your fury upon the Argent Dawn!" * "The sky weeps at the glorious devastation of these lands. Soon Azeroth's futile tears will rain down upon us." * "Soldiers of the Scourge, death knights of Acherus, minions of the darkness, hear the call of the Highlord!" * "Rise!" * "Death knights of Acherus, the death march begins!" * "The skies turn red with the blood of the fallen. The Lich King watches over us, minions. Leave only ashes and misery in your destructive wake!" During the fight: * "Kneel before the Highlord!" * "You stand no chance!" * "The Scourge will destroy this place!" * "Your life is forfeit." * "Life is meaningless without suffering." * "How much longer will your forces hold out?" * "The Argent Dawn is finished!" * "Spare no one." * "What is this? My... I cannot strike!" * "Obey me, blade!" * "You will do as I command. I am in control here!" * "I can not... the blade fights me." * "What is happening to me?" * "Power... wanes..." * "Ashbringer defies me!" * "Minions, come to my aid!" After the fight: * "Stand down, death knights. We've lost. The Light... this place... no hope." * "Save your breath, old man; it may be the last you ever draw." The ghost of Alexandros Mograine appears: * "Father!" * "Agh, what is—" * "Father, you have returned." * "You've been gone a long time, father. I thought—" * "Father, I wish to join you in the war against the undead. I want to fight, I can sit idle no longer!" * "If I die, father, I would rather it be it on my feet standing in defiance of the Undead legions. If I die, let me die with you!" To the Lich King: * "You betrayed me. You betrayed us all, monster. Taste the might of Mograine!" * "That day is not today." * "Tirion!" After the Lich King has fled: * "So too do the Knights of the Ebon Blade. Although our kind has no place in your world, we will fight to bring an end to the Lich King. This I vow." On describing the Ashen Verdict :Ready yourself, . :The time has come for the Lich King's reign to come to an end. What is the Ashen Verdict? :The Ashen Verdict is a select group of the most talented craftsmen in the Ebon Blade and Argent Crusade. Its creation symbolizes the unity of our forces as we mount this final assault on the Lich King and his minions. :It is through the Ashen Verdict's efforts that we have discovered how to bend saronite to our will. How can I learn to work Saronite? :Speak with , . He can set you on the path. :Demonstrate your loyalty and their methods shall be made known to you. Trivia *His deathcharger is called Iydallus and is found at the Argent Vanguard of Icecrown along with Mirador, Tirion's steed. *He is wearing the Tier 8 Death Knight set. However, in the Icecrown Citadel PTR, he is shown wearing the new Death Knight Tier 10. *While The Ebon Watcher appears to have orange hair like his father and brother, Darion has blonde hair in the comic. *After Darion gave up the Corrupted Ashbringer to Tirion Fordring, he dual wields two swords with the same model as The Hungering Cold and Slayer of the Lifeless. *He has more health than all of the racial leaders, who have a bit more than 5,000,000 HP. While Darion has 11,000,000 HP. For a Death Knight, this is unique. References External links Category:Death Knights Category:Eastern Plaguelands NPCs Category:Human quest givers Category:Scarlet Enclave NPCs Category:World of Warcraft: Ashbringer characters Category:Knights of the Ebon Blade NPCs